Macadamia- Beaumont

Beaumont is a New Zealand-bred variety, amongst the most common commercially grown varieties. It is also a consistent producer for a garden at home. Perfumed pink flowers will become heavy yields of large nuts. Nuts hang in clusters, with the kernel sitting inside a woody round shell. They will need to picked as they will not drop on their own. Beaumont has excellent texture and flavour.

Ensure the tree is staked for support, and prune to encourage it to develop a strong structure. As the tree grows larger, take out the centre (to let light in), trying to keep it to 3-4 metres high. Remove dead or damaged branches.

It takes 4-5 years to first fruit and 7-8 months for the nuts to mature. Harvest from August when nuts are full size. To test, pick a few nuts remove green husks and check the colour of the inside of the husk lining. When dark brown, harvest the lot. Wear gloves and cover forearms, as the plant can be a little prickly. Put a tarp under the tree, pull down by hand or use a shepherd's hook. Don't pick in the rain, as nuts hold too much moisture.